91ÊÓƵ

Initial jobless claims fell by 13,000 last week, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Claims for the week ended Saturday declined to 623,000, from a revised 643,000 the previous week.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, fell to 626,750 from 629,750 a week earlier.

The number of Americans collecting jobless benefits rose to its 17th straight weekly record high for the previous week ended May 16, Labor said.